Reality vs Truth
(Love) “It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”—1 Corinthians 13:7 (NIV)
I have a precious friend who is a professional life coach. She’s been challenging my thought life. How sweet it is to have a friend who will challenge you, who gets you outside of your own head, and makes you hold up your beliefs for inspection. Is my “beliefs” the truth or simply my reality?
Just because something is our reality doesn’t make it the truth. Just because a lot of people believe something does not make it the truth. The reality of our experiences does not always equate to the truth. They are often different things.
“What is stopping your heart from receiving the truth of God’s affection for you?” she asked.
“Because bad things happen to good people,” I responded.
I had just run headfirst into the truth. I didn’t trust God.
I wasn’t as shocked as I should be. It’s strange that, even though my love for God continues to grow (causing it to be stronger than it’s ever been), I couldn’t deny that I didn’t trust Him. The contradiction of that feels like a bottomless pit.
A love that is stronger today than ever before and, yet, I wasn’t shocked when my indirect wording revealed my lack of trust. No longer able to hide behind my “chin up you’re a Christian” attitude, I was standing at the intersection of my life where God’s unfailing pursuit of truth crashed into my reality.
I had been believing that my reality was based on truth. Whenever He would gently point out a weed I was nurturing, I’d deflect His humble gesture with my reality. “God, You saw what happened. I’m not lying about this or denying that it really happened. I’m not making anything up or being dramatic—so-and-so did (or said) it.”
How is it that I can blame God for man’s choices?
But the only Man who has ever given me 100% of Himself continued to pursue me, love me, and care for me even when I preferred to hang on to my own way, my own standard. He didn’t change toward me even though I needed to change.
The beauty of His steadfast truth is that when I do embrace the gift of His truth for my life, I get this feeling of a wild, adventurous heart that comes alive to experience all that God is calling me into.
May I never again blame God for the choices that (wo)men have made and the examples they have given me. And may the (wo)men in my life hold me responsible for my choices/examples and never hold my brokenness against God. He does not deserve it.
This is the Man who has carved my name in the palm of His hand. What He deserves is all of my worship, affection, and especially my trust. Why? Because of the love that caused Him to permanently scar His hands for me.
NOW LIVE LOVED and THRIVE!
Self-Reflection
These questions are in no way a substitute for healthcare professionals or any level of professional counseling. I’m an advocate for taking care of oneself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. These questions reflect my heart, NOT my profession.
This questionnaire is an opportunity to journal your thoughts and feelings. It can serve as a launching pad on which to evaluate your heart condition as you understand it. My hope is that you will take the truths you discover about yourself and hold them up to the Light to evaluate them against who God says you are.
- Who/what do you base truth on?
- Who/What do you base reality on?
- How would you compare reality and truth?
- Can your reality produce weeds in your life? If so, how might that happen or what might it look like?
- What is something you don’t trust God with/for?
- What examples have you experienced in your life that would cause you not to trust God?
- What choices have you made (or been made by others) that have impacted your life with regard to trust?
Talk to God about your answers. Give Him praise, ask Him questions and then listen for His gentle response.
Take Action
Use God’s word to take control over the traumas in your life. Whenever you feel terrorized by your thoughts take them captive by replacing them with the truth of God’s promises in His word.
Here is a scripture for you to print, cut and carry with you and/or post in places where you will see it often. Ground yourself in God’s truths not Satan’s attacks. Encourage your heart and mind every time you are reminded of His great love for YOU!
(Love) “It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”—1 Corinthians 13:7 (NIV)
When you read God’s word say to yourself: God’s love is the supreme love. It has no rival and no equal. He is worthy of my trust. He is not after my attention, He’s after my heart and He can be trusted with it.
